By Brian Campued
The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) is planning to implement “short-term as well as systemic long-term” solutions to address complaints on Villar-owned PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp.’s services, LWUA Administrator Atty. Jose Moises Salonga said Friday.
In a press briefing at Malacañang, Salonga said their agency is wrapping its report regarding alleged water supply issues in areas serviced by PrimeWater.
“We are already finishing our report, hindi ko lang mapre-preempt at ibibigay po namin sa Presidente iyon. And after his appreciation of the facts, then we’d be able to share contents of such report,” he said.
Salonga stressed that addressing issues and deficiencies of utilities cannot be solved right away.
“It was unprecedented eh, [Presidential Decree No.] 198 did not contemplate joint ventures with water districts. So that’s something that we have to face right now. It’s part of development and evolution of our economics,” Salonga said, referring to the 1973 presidential decree which provided for the creation of LWUA as well as the establishment of water districts in provincial cities and municipalities.
Water woes in Bulacan schools
During the briefing, Salonga announced that water supply has been restored in two schools in Malolos, Bulacan after the President ordered LWUA to conduct an immediate investigation into the lack of stable water supply in public schools he inspected in the province.
“Apparently, mayroon pong [Department of Public Works and Highways] contractor na tumama sa isang linya ng tubig doon late May, so ang nangyari bumaba ’yong pressure ng less than 51% and that caused the issue na walang tubig, na mahina ang tubig,” he explained.
Ang ginawa namin, nagpadala na kami ng tao doon at kinumpuni, inayos… and today we’re happy to report na may tubig na po sa dalawang schools na ’yon, operational na po.”
Salonga added that the San Miguel Water District and Pamana Water Corporation are coordinating the principal of Tibagan Elementary School in San Miguel, Bulacan for interconnection of the school to the water supply service.
Meanwhile, the LWUA is now looking into the local water districts’ reports on water supply issues concerning both private and public schools, with evaluation of such reports to be completed next week.
“Actually, lahat po—532 water districts pinadalhan namin ng memorandum circular with an attached form to report all issues regarding water supply sa kanilang water districts. This covers both private and public schools,” Salonga said.
“We are now processing all of those reports and we can hand it to you or share that to you once we’ve finished, hopefully by Monday or Tuesday.”
-jpv
